I want to quit during orientation...

Nurses General Nursing

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I've had 5 days of orientation so for at this LTC facility only one day on the unit I'd actually be working.. I hate it, most of all hate how i cant really care for my patients. It feels unbearable, its 35 patients. So many accuchecks,blood pressures and orders and things to do. You're always interrupted by Doctors , management and everyone thinks nurses do it all. Its 5 12 hrs a week. I haven't been properly trained on the policies and procedures. I FEEL BAD about wanting to quit but its how i feel. I don't know if its fear but i'm scared of jeopardizing my license, I'm scared of making a mistake. Its not a bad facility everyone is friendly and like family. But honestly i'm the youngest there and feel i'm not assertive enough and won't be a good fit. Any advice?

You issue is not that you arent assertive enough or that your too young. The real issue is that you realize now what nursing entails since your out of school and you hate it. You hate not being able to actually care for patients, that you are really a pill pusher. You hate the fact that you dont have time to eat or go to the bathroom. You hate the long shifts that break your body. You hate not having enough support from the aides who are probably sleeping somewhere. You hate management b/c their only purpose is to annoy you and make things more difficult. This is real nursing and you hate being a nurse. Most nurses ignore this fact and try to give other reasons for their unhappiness. My best advice is if your still young, leave the profession and do anything else, itll be much better. May not pay as well but atleast youll be happy.

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You issue is not that you arent assertive enough or that your too young. The real issue is that you realize now what nursing entails since your out of school and you hate it. You hate not being able to actually care for patients, that you are really a pill pusher. You hate the fact that you dont have time to eat or go to the bathroom. You hate the long shifts that break your body. You hate not having enough support from the aides who are probably sleeping somewhere. You hate management b/c their only purpose is to annoy you and make things more difficult. This is real nursing and you hate being a nurse. Most nurses ignore this fact and try to give other reasons for their unhappiness. My best advice is if your still young, leave the profession and do anything else, itll be much better. May not pay as well but atleast youll be happy.

I love nursing. I just hate how it's ran. I'm not going to give up because my goal is to run my own agency to make a difference especially one for my nurses and aides. But you have some valiate points.

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I worked in a burn ICU early in my career. I was in way over my head. I was probably going to get fired at the end of my 90 day probational period anyway. I hated it there and it seemed like the feeling was mutual. I just couldn't keep up, I wasn't ready for that unit in a hospital with a level 1 trauma center in a major city. My mom is a retired ICU nurse with 35+ years of experience. On day 85 of my 90 day probational period I was in the parking garage, crying like a 12 year old to my mommy, and telling her I hated my job so much I didn't even want to get out of the car.

She told me I would never give good patient care on a unit I didn't want to work on. That I was still on orientation, and to just put my car in reverse and go home... so I did. I emailed HR and my boss and told them I appreciated the opportunity but I did not think I was a good fit for their unit. I thanked them for investing their time in developing me and offered to transfer to a unit I had more to offer to. I was not extended another position, but I was eligible for rehire.

The hospital is not on my resume, but if asked in interviews, I openly explain what happened. I have had many managers commend me for recognising my limitations and having the courage to speak up instead of potentially giving unsafe care.

Obviously I omit the part about crying to my mommy in the parking garage.

I don't care why you don't want to work on your unit, once "patient safety" come out of your mouth, they won't judge you.

Thanks that made me feel 1000 times better. I'm going to put my needs first. I went into this blind. I'm glad your Mom helped you sometimes we just need someone to tell us it's ok.

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People stress way too much about what to say in a resignation letter. There is no way to quit this situation that the management will like because they are desperate for you to stay. The resignation letter goes, "Dear DON (or whomever), Regrettably, I will no longer be available for work at Scary Skilled Nursing after (insert date here). While I appreciate the opportunity I was given and the support and collegiality I have felt from the other nurses (never hurts to say something nice), my brief orientation has not prepared me to be an optimal team contributor. Thank you.

Or just say, "Personal issues have come up which make working that schedule impossible at this time," or "My current skill set and the requirements of the position are not a match at this time."

60 hours a week as a new nurse after five days orientation is a recipe for burnout if not a nervous breakdown. Not because the assignment isn't do-able, but because it will be a while before you have your time management down. Meanwhile, your license is at risk every day. If it was eights, or four and three, then maybe, just maybe. But 5 twelves as a newb is NUTS.

On the other hand, every new position is going to feel scary and un-doable at first. Sometimes you have to try it to know. But if you know in your gut this isn't for you, get out safely now.

Thx lady I did exactly what what you said.

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LTC is hectic! I was a new nurse with 3 days of training and put on a cart on day 4 because they were short staffed. It was insane. I am a fast learner and love to multi-task and even this was a lot to handle but it did get easier. Once you know your patients, their habits, their meds, the time of the meds, etc, it does get easier. The thing I hate about LTC is when you are assigned to different halls all the time. You don't get to know the patients, meds errors are easily made this way, you are rushed, family thinks you have an hour to talk about their loved ones, patients are lonely and want to tell you their life stories, labs come in, dr's need informed, you need to access the emergency kit for a certain med, pharmacy needs called, patients fall, have change of health status, get combative and hit the CNA's so reports need filled out, the pharm delivery gets dropped off so the meds need sorted, the stock room isn't stocked, some CNA's are hiding in the rooms on their phones so you have to answer call lights, the water station is no where near where you are so you are always walking to fill up water because the CNA's seem to think once a shift is enough and on top of all of that, you still have to chart! This doesn't include admissions and discharges. UGH! I am currently a home health nurse and quite happy and will never step in another LTC again. I am going to school to get my RN degree this summer and will work towards my goal of being a recovery room nurse.

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LTC is hectic! I was a new nurse with 3 days of training and put on a cart on day 4 because they were short staffed. It was insane. I am a fast learner and love to multi-task and even this was a lot to handle but it did get easier. Once you know your patients, their habits, their meds, the time of the meds, etc, it does get easier. The thing I hate about LTC is when you are assigned to different halls all the time. You don't get to know the patients, meds errors are easily made this way, you are rushed, family thinks you have an hour to talk about their loved ones, patients are lonely and want to tell you their life stories, labs come in, dr's need informed, you need to access the emergency kit for a certain med, pharmacy needs called, patients fall, have change of health status, get combative and hit the CNA's so reports need filled out, the pharm delivery gets dropped off so the meds need sorted, the stock room isn't stocked, some CNA's are hiding in the rooms on their phones so you have to answer call lights, the water station is no where near where you are so you are always walking to fill up water because the CNA's seem to think once a shift is enough and on top of all of that, you still have to chart! This doesn't include admissions and discharges. UGH! I am currently a home health nurse and quite happy and will never step in another LTC again. I am going to school to get my RN degree this summer and will work towards my goal of being a recovery room nurse.

I had two interviews this week with two pediatric homecare and one geriatric home care. Thing is I want the experience and don't want to lose my skills. And we were taught in nursing school. We should work LTC or we'd lose our skills and want learn and being out by ourself wasn't good. I did homecare as a CNA and loved it. I just left an interview for another LTC the max patients is 24 and it's Mon-FRI idk if I should do that just for experience or stick to homecare. I'm so confused. Ltc stresses me out and makes me scared for my license.

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You issue is not that you arent assertive enough or that your too young. The real issue is that you realize now what nursing entails since your out of school and you hate it. You hate not being able to actually care for patients, that you are really a pill pusher. You hate the fact that you dont have time to eat or go to the bathroom. You hate the long shifts that break your body. You hate not having enough support from the aides who are probably sleeping somewhere. You hate management b/c their only purpose is to annoy you and make things more difficult. This is real nursing and you hate being a nurse. Most nurses ignore this fact and try to give other reasons for their unhappiness. My best advice is if your still young, leave the profession and do anything else, itll be much better. May not pay as well but atleast youll be happy.

WOW jaded much?

I've hated jobs without hating nursing. A young nurse has to find their niche. A lot of times what they thought they would want to do right out of school is not what they where meant to do. There are (literally) hundreds of variations of nursing out there.

I wasn't a burn nurse... fine... I was an amazing PICU nurse... then I got burnt out after a decade or so, six months ago I was ready to leave nursing all together, and now I'm working in IR and falling in love with nursing all over again. You can hate the lazy techs, annoying managers, and limited face time with patients and still love nursing. Not everyone finds their specialty on their first try. And that is certainly not because they are lazy or should find a new profession.

Keep going, you'll find the right job eventually.

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I had two interviews this week with two pediatric homecare and one geriatric home care. Thing is I want the experience and don't want to lose my skills. And we were taught in nursing school. We should work LTC or we'd lose our skills and want learn and being out by ourself wasn't good. I did homecare as a CNA and loved it. I just left an interview for another LTC the max patients is 24 and it's Mon-FRI idk if I should do that just for experience or stick to homecare. I'm so confused. Ltc stresses me out and makes me scared for my license.

It's a common fear, especially in newer nurses, but skills are overrated; it's important to have, but you don't need to be able to insert an in to be considered a nurse. Skills such as assessments, time management, critical thinking, assertiveness, advocacy and knowing when and where to ask for help are far more important and transferable across all specialties. I wouldn't feel comfortable with a 24:1 ratio personally. Every one has their own niche; you will find yours

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

LTC is a very difficult field as you are finding out. Huge patient loads and everything that comes with that. That part can be conquered with some perseverance. What really can't be overcome is a schedule with so many 12 hour shifts. That's way too many hours to regularly work without burning out. I am amazed a facility willingly schedules that much overtime.

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LTC is a very difficult field as you are finding out. Huge patient loads and everything that comes with that. That part can be conquered with some perseverance. What really can't be overcome is a schedule with so many 12 hour shifts. That's way too many hours to regularly work without burning out. I am amazed a facility willingly schedules that much overtime.

Yes I can't find anything else but home Care. But as a lpn I feel ltc is my only choice

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
Yes I can't find anything else but home Care. But as a lpn I feel ltc is my only choice

Have you looked into clinics or school nursing? Both hire LPN's in my area. The pay is not great, but the jobs are available. Another area to consider is assisted living or memory care facilities, many hire exclusively LPN's as staff nurses utilizing the RN's only for management. Maybe even, don't give up on LTC. It's very rewarding if you can get used to the resident to staff ratios. The trick is to find a good facility, trust me they do exist.

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